Weatherproof electric heater



June 19, 1923.

LVP.HYNES I WEATHERPROOF ELECTRIC HEATER Filed Oct. 18. 1921 1N VENTOA A7 r RNE) Patented June 19, 1923.

UNITED STATES TENT OFFICE.

LEE 1?. HYNES, OF ALBANY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO CONSOLIDATED GAR-HEATINGCOMPANY, OF ALBANY, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF WEST VIRGINIA.

WEATHERPROOF ELECTRIC HEATER.

Application filed October 18, 1921. Serial No. 508,543.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that, I, LEE P. HYNES, a citizen of the United States,residing at Albany, in the county of Albany and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Weatherproof ElectricHeaters, the following being a full, clear, and exact disclosure of theone form of my invention which I at present deem preferable.

For a detailed description of the present form of my invention,reference may be had to the following specification and to theaccompanying drawing forming a part thereof. wherein- Fig. 1 is a planof my new heater,

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal and Fig. 3 a. transverse section thereof, and

Fig. 4 a section of the terminal device.

My invention relates to an electric heater of the Weatherproof typewhich is used for out-door work, such, for instance, as the thawing ofrailway switch points or is embedded in masses of earth and is hencewithout any protection from snow and rain except such as may becontained in its own structure. 7 The principal feature of my device isan enclosing mass of cast iron or other metal which serves for thestorage and distribution of the heat, but takes no part in theinsulation of the heating coil, or in its immediate protection, beingapplied outside of a metallic tube in which the heating coil and itsinsulation are contained and separable therefrom. The said mass does,however, act also as a mechanical protector for the said tube, and is inheat-conducting contact therewith so that it draws the heat therefromwhich it stores, distributes and radiates.

Referring to the drawing A and B are two fiat castings of iron orsuitable metal, the upper one fitting down over the lower one andsurrounding it with its depending flange. The top of casting A isrounded to shed off water produced bymeltin snow coming from any othersource, and lts E and F are passed vertically through the two castingsto secure them together. On the top surface of B and the under surfaceof A is a groove of V-shape in cross section, the two groovesregistering to form an approximately square channel which follows anelongated horse-shoe route extending up on one side and down on theother side of the casting as appears in dotted lines on Fig. 1. The twoparallel branches of the channel are connected at one end by asemicircular section of the channel and at the other end terminate in achamber 0 formed by cutting off a short length of casting A and coveringthe space thus provided by means of a cap casting C. The casting C issecured by the bolt F and has dependin sides and end which enclose thechamber aforesaid. In the aforesaid horseshoe groove is laid acorrespondingly bent tube D of metal which contains an insulating liningand inside of said lining is the heating coil K, as shown in Fig. 4. Theends of tube D project into chamber 0 and from each one extends aheavily insulated conducting rod P which at its inner end connects withcoil K and at its outer end is screw-threaded to receive binding nuts G.The external conductors pass into chamber 0 through an opening H and areconnected respectively to the rods P and thence to the oppositeterminals of the heating coils. The projecting ends of rods P and tubesD afford opportunity for wrapping the connections with tape andwaterproofing material.

It is not necessary that the castings A and B should fit tightly tomakea watertight joint such as has been required in prior heaters of theWaterproof type. I thus avoid the use of gaskets, packing and cementwhich are needed with such joints and are not wholly reliable for theirpurpose. In my present construction the metal tube D affords all theneeded protection of the coil and its insulation from snow and water,while the outside castings afford mechanical protection for the tube andthe coil therein at the same time that they store up and distribute theheat, being of suflicient heat absorbing and dissipating capacity toavoid overheating of'the coil. It may be noted that the V-shape of theaforesaid groove affords an effective grip of the castings on tube Dwithout distorting it and insures an efiicient heat conductingconnection between the tube and the casting. In addition the use of thetube allows the employment of a thin wall of insulation that causes nomate rial obstruction to the outflow of heat from the coil at all pointsof its length. The cap casting C is readily removable, even when theapparatus is otherwise embedded in the ground or in ice, and connectionthus made with the terminals G. After that the cap may be replaced. lVIypresent device is thus easily accessible for practical use, besidesbeing a. rugged, Waterproof andessentially indestructible instrument.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentis:

l. A. waterproof electric heater comprising a heating conductor, anenclosing and insulating waterproof tube therefor and an externalmetallic mass applied to the outside of said tube.

2. A waterproof electric heater comprising a heating conductor, anenclosing and insulating waterproof tube therefor, and an externalmetallic mass applied to and enclosing the said tube.

3. A waterproof electric heater comprising a heating conductor, anenclosingand insulated uunterproottube therefor of metal, and anexternal metallic mass applied to said tubeand in heat-conductingcontact therewith.

a. is waterproof electric heater compris ing a heating conductor, anenclosing and insulatin waterproof tube therefor and an externalmetallic mass applied to said tube and provided with a groove in whichsaid tube is contained.

A waterproof electric heater comprising a heating conductor, a metallicwaterproof tube enclosing said conductor, an external mass applied tothe outside of said tube, and a cap applied to said mass and onclosing aconnecting chamber for the terminals of the said heating conductor.

6. A waterproof electric heater comprising a heating conductor, ametallic tube enclosing said conductor and insulated therefrom, and anexternal metallic mass formed in separable parts and applied to theoutside of said tube.

7. A waterproof electric heater eompris ing a heating conductor, ametallic tube enclosing said conductor and insulated therefrom, coilterminals projecting from said tube and an external metallic massapplied to said tube on the outside and enclosing said terminals.

8. A waterproof electric heater comprising an external metallic mass ofsubstantial volume for storing and distributing heat, and an encased andinsulated heatingconductor waterprooted indepeiulently of said metallicmass.

9. An electric heater comprising a coiledwire conductor, an insulatingtube enclosing said conductor, a metal tube enclosing said insulatingtube, and an external heatabsorbent mass in heattransmitting contactwith said metal tube.

10. An electric heater comprising a coiledwire conductor, an insulatingtube enclosing said conductor, a metal tube enclosing said insulatingtube, and an external metallic mass in heat-transinitting contact withsaid metal tube.

ll. An electric heater CODIPllSlIlg a coiledwire conductor, aninsulating tube enclosing said conductor, a metal tube enclosing saidinsulating tube, and an external removable mass of metal inheat-transmitting contact with said metal tube.

Signed at Albany. county of Albany, State of New York, this 14th day oi.October. 1921.

LEE P. HYNES.

